Differential gearing



l Nov. 6, 1928.

R.` l.. DENNlsoN DIFFERENTIAL GEARING Filed June 2, 1927- 2 Sheets-Sheet l Swanton K www Nov. 6, 1928.

R. L. DENNISON DIFFERENTIAL GEARING Filed June 2, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 anni nu' Patented Nov. 6i, V1928.

UNITEDV STATE y 1,690,189 PATENT oFFlcE.

ROBERT L. DENNISON, OF KANSAS CITY,y MISSOURI.

DIFFERENTIAL GEARING.

Application filed June 2, 1.1927. rSerial No. 196,090.

A further Objectis to provide gearing of the character mentioned, the locking means including a pair of relatively movable mem# bers each secured to oneof the axle sections to rotate therewith whereby the relatively movable members may be easily brought into engagement'with each other while the vehicle is moving without subjecting any of the parts of the device to sudden strains.

A further object is to provide locking means for a differential wherein such means is Wholly inoperative during the normal operation of the vehicle that is wherein the locking means form no portion of the driving elements between the differential pinion and the axle sections, so .that the locking means is not subjected to any strain whatever during the normal operation of the gearing.

A further object is to l'provide a device of the above mentioned character wherein end thrusts of the axle sections are prevented by novel means from being transmitted tothe Working parts of the device, thus positively eliminating any chance of the elements of the device becoming jammed and inoperative.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the drawings I have shown one em,

bodiment of the invention. In this showing, Figure 1 is a central horizontal sectional view through the device, parts being shown in elevation, i f Figure 2 is adetail elevation of the locking means and associated elements, parts being shown in section,

Figure 3 is a detail section on line 3-3 of Figure 1, i

Figure 4 is a similar view online 4-14of .V Y'

` I ing l5 is provided outwardly of the bearing Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a similar Figure 1,

view on line `5 5 ofV Figure 6 is a detail elevation of a portion .of the gearing and associated elements, and

Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Figure l. 1 i

Referring to the drawings,the numeral 10 designates the usual transmission shaft housing through which the transmission shaft 11 extends, a bushing 12 preferably being arranged in the housing to receive the shaft. A differential drive pinion 13 is secured to the rear end of theshaft 11 as shown in Figure 1. The housing 10 is preferably provided adjacent the pinion with ball bearings 14 of any preferred type, j f

A differential housing 15 is arranged rearwardly of the shaft housing 10 and these el-v ements are secured together by bolts 16 passing through flanges 17 formed on the rear` end of the housing 10.

A bevel gear 18 meshes" with the pinion 13, and this gear is secured by bolts 19l to an annular flange 20 surrounding a gear cage 2l. The cage is secured to end plates 22 by bolts 23, and the end plates are providedfwith longitudinally extending sleeve portions 24 preferably journaled in ball bearings'25 carried by the differential housing 15. Each side of the cage 21 is provided with a plurality of equidistantly spaced substany tially circular recesses 26 and 27 as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5, these recesses being off-set circumferentiallywith respect to each other and havingl their inner ends overlapping for a substantial distance as indicated in Figure 1. A relatively long pinion 28 is mounted in each recess 26 and is carried by a shaft 29 j ournaled in the gear cage 21 and in the plates 22; A similar set of pinions 30 are mounted in the recesses 27 and are carried by shafts 31 also journaled in the gear cage and in .the

plates 22. The inner ends of the gears 255V and 30 overlap eachother as sho-wn in Figures 1 and 6 and each of the gears 28 meshes with one of the gears 30 as will be apparent.

A sleeve 32 Ais rotatably mounted in the sleeve portion 24 of one of the plates 22, and

a gear 33 is carried by the inner end of the sleeve 32. This gear meshes. wit-h each of the gears 30 as shownin Figure 4. A similar but materially longer sleeve 35 is journaled in the other sleeve portion 24 and is provided at its inner end with a gear 36 meshing with each of the gears 28 as shown in Figure 5. The cas- 25with a chamber 37, and `outwardly of this' ill and adapted to rotatably support the outer end ot the sleeve 35. Longitudinal diametrically opposite slots 39 are formed in the sleeve for a purpose to be described. Each of the sleeves 32 and 35 is provided with interior longitmlinally extending ribs 40 to iorm splined connections to be referred to later.

Opposite sides of the differential housing are provided with aligned substantially tubular extensions 4l in which the inner ends of axle housings 42 are arranged, and these elements may be secured together by rivets or the like 43. Axle sections 44 and 45 are mounted in the axle housings and extend into the differential housing as shown in Figure l. The inner end ot the axle s ction 44 is provided with spline grooves 46 to receive the ribs 4t) of the sleeve 32, and the inner end ot the axle section 44 terminates outwardly ot the inner end ot' the sleeve 32 for a purpose to be described. Similarly the inner end of the axle section is provided with spline grooves 4T to receive the ribs 40 of the sleeve 35. It will be apparent that the splined connections referred to form positive drive means between the sleeves 32 and 35, and the respective axle sections.

Referring to Figures l and 2, the numerals 48 and 41) indicate locking devices as a whole. 'lhe device 4S comprises a sleeve portion 50 having spline grooves 5l on its outer surface receiving` the ribs 40 of the sleeve 32. ln order to prevent longitudinal movement ol the sleeve 50 with respect to the sleeve 32, radial pins 52 are preferably employed. lt will be apparent that the locking device 4S is positively connected to the axle section 44 through sleeve 32, to rotate therewith. The inner end ol the device 48 is provided with a head 53 upon the inner end of which are formed relatively7 large heavy teeth 54.

The locking device 49 comprises a relatively long sleeve 55 having spline grooves 5G extending throughout the length ot its outer surface and adapted to slidably receive the ribs 40 of the sleeve 35. The sleeve 55 is pro vided at its outer end with diamctrically opposite outwardly extending pins 57 which extend through the grooves 39 as indicated in Figure The inner end ot' the sleeve 55 provided with a head 5S. similar to the head 53, and the head 58 is provided on its inner end with enacting teeth 5S) adapted to engage the teeth 54 to form positive rlutch means between the sleeves 5() and As shown in Figures l and 7, a collar (lo surrounds the sleeve 35 adjacent the pins 3T. the collar preferably being toi-med ot complementary sections (il secured together by bolts (i2. The collar G0 is provided with an internal annular `groove G3 in which the radial pins 5T are adapted to revolve. All forked shifting member G4 is arranged above the eollar (i0 and is provided with depending arms having vertical grooves GG tl erein to reccive outwardly extending pins Gi' preferably tormed integral with the complementary sections Gl. The collar (50 and shifting member are arranged in the chamber Il? as clearly shown in Figure l. shifting member is provided with a collar HS keyed to an oscillating sha'l't (il), the lait-cr shaft heilig journaled in bearings termed in the differential housing. n arm 7l is connected to one end ol. the shaft (3l). and au operating rod 72 is pivotally connected to the tree end ot the arm 7l. as at 73.

lilcans is provided to take up inward thrust of the axle sections to prevent damagingoiI the operating elements of the device. vcterring to Figures l and 2 of the drawings, the numeral T4 designates a thrust pin which extends through the sleeves 5t) and and rontacts at its ends with the axle sections 44 and 45. The pin is preferably made ot hardened steel, and being straight and rigid, preventsl inward movement ot' the axle sections beyond the position shown in Figure l. No un* due inward movement theretore can be transmitted to any ot the parts of the device to cause such parts to jam or become injured.

ll`he operation ot t-be device is as follows:

The sli-att 1l is driven in the usual manner, and the gear cage 2l. will be rotated aboutv the axes ot' the axle sections by the meshing ol' the gears 13 and 18. This action causes the gears 28 and 30 to travel in orbits concentric to the axle sections as will be apparent. As previously stated, the sets of gears 28 and il() mesh with each other and with tbe gears Ill and 36 respectively, and since the latter gears are positively connected to the axle sections through the splined connections of the sleeve 32 and 35, it will be apparent that rotative m vement will be imparted to the axle se tions. lVhen the vehicle is travelingr in a` straight line whereby the axle sections rotate at the saine speed, there will be no rotation ofi the pinions 28 and 30 about their owu axes. lllhen the vehicle is turning corners or being operated under any other conditions which will cause diflerential rotative action between the wheels ot the vehicle. the dill'erential rotation will be compensated for by the rotation ot the pinions 28 and il() about their own axes. The operation of the elements dcscribed is the same as in the usual types o t di llerentials and will be readily apparent. Duringl the normal operation ot the dillerential the locking heads and 5S will be disen gaged from each other and these lements will rotate with their respective axle sections. ll will be apparent that the locking devices arl` wholly independent ot' the didcrential since tbej,r Jform no portion ol the drivin;r train between the pinion 13 and the axle sectiouslf. The locking means therefore will be subject ed to no strains or wear when the different ial is being operated undei' normal conditions. Then one of the rea-r wheels of the vehicle is The upper end of the running over-slippery surfaces thus permitting it to spin, it is desired to lock the axle `sections togetherto positively drive. both `Wheels. Under suchconditions, the rod 7 2 is moved forwardly by any suitable operating means thus rocking .the shaft. 69 and swinging the arms 65 inwardly. This action causes the collar 60 also to be moved inwardly carrying with it the pins 57. These pins are slidable in the slots 39 and inward movement of thepins causes the locking device 49 tobe moved inwardly whereby engagement will take piace between the teeth 54 and 59. As previously stated, thesleeves 50 and 55 ot the locking devices are splined to the sleeves 32 and 35, while the latter elei'nents'positively rotate with the axle sections, and accordingly it will be apparent that when the teeth 54 and 59 are brought into engagement the axle sections will be positively locked together to rotate as a unit. The locking means readily may be disengaged merely by pushing'the rod 72 rearwardly thus sliding the sleeve 55 outwardly and disengaging the teeth 54- and 59. The thrust pin 74, as previously stated, contacts at its ends` with the inner ends ot the axle sections and since the pin 74 is straight and rigid it will be` apparent that inward movement of the axle sections is. positively limited to the positions shown in kFigure l. Thus no inward thrust movement ofthe axle sections can be transmitted to the` operating elements of the transmission or locking device to cause any jamming oit the parts or injury thereto, or to cause accidental engagement between the teeth 54 and 59.

It is tobe understood that the form oi' the invention herewith shown and described is i to be taken as a preferred example oi the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrange-ment of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spiritoil the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

` I claim: l

1. A device of the character described comprising a drive shaft, a pinion carried thereby, a ring gear meshing with said pinion, a pair of sets of pinions carried by said ring gear and rotatable in circular orbits about the axis thereof, each pinion of one set meshing with oneof the pinions of the other set, a pair of gears each meshing with the p1nions of one set, a pair of axle sections secured respectively to the gears of said pair, a locking device secured against rotation with respect to one gear of said pair, a sec-` ond loc-king device secured against rotation but longitudinally slidable with respectto the other gear of said pair, a thrust member extending through and rotatable with respect to said locking devices, the ends of said thrust member contacting with the inner ends of said axle sections, and means for sliding said last named locking device longitudinally with respect to said last named gear to bring it into engagement with said `first named locking device, said locking devices cooperating with but forming no part of the drive means-comprising said pair of `other set, a pair of gears each meshing With the pinions of one set,'a locking device including a sleeve secured against rotation with respect to one gear of said pair, a second locking device including a sleeve secured against rotation but longitudinally slidable with respect to the other gear of said pair, a pair of radial pins carried by and extending outwardly from said last named sleeve, a pair of axle sections, a pair of elongated sleeves, said gears of said pair being secured respectively to said elongated sleeves, said elongated sleeves being respectively Secured to said axle sections and to the sleeves of said locking devices, said locking ldevices being arranged coaxial with respect to said axle sections and provided on their inner ends with coacting teeth, a collar surrounding said pins and provided with an internal annular groove receiving said pins, means for moving said collar longitudinally With re-y spect to said axle sections, and a thrust mem'- ber extending through and rotatable with respect to said locking devices, the ends of said thrust member contacting with the inner ends of said axle sections.

, 3. A device of the character described comprising a drive shaft, a pair of aligned axle sections having their inner ends spaced from each other, diilerential drive means connected between said drive shaft and said axle sections, a pair of locking devices forming no part of said drive means secured against rotation with respect to said axle sections and extending inwardly of said axle sections coaxially thereof, one of said locking devices being axially slidable with respect to its corresponding axle section to bring it into engagement with the other locking device, and a thrust member extending through and rotatable with. respect to said locking devices, the ends of said thrust member contacting with the inner ends of said axle sections.

4. A device of the character described comprising a drive shaft, a pair of aligned axle sections having their inner ends spaced from each other, diiferential drive means connect- .ed between said drive shaft and said axle sections, a pair of locking devices .forming no part of said drive means secured against rotation with respect to said axle sections and extending inwardly of said axle sections each other, differential drive means conneeted between said drive shaft and said axle sections, a pair of locking devices secured to said axle sections and extending inwardly oi" said-axle sections eoaxially thereof2 means for axially sliding one of said locking devices with respect to its corresponding axle section to bring it into engagement with the other locking device, and a thrust member extending through said locking devices` the ends of said thrust ineinher contacting with the inner ends of said axle sections.

in testinionv whereof I aiiix mv signature.

ROBERT L. DENISON. 

